SC wants transparency in fund distribution under rural job scheme

Calling for transparency in the government’s ambitious rural employment law,MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act,2008),the SC on Wednesday said the venture should ensure jobs that will generate money for villagers. “Huge funds are allotted under this project,but either the funds do not reach the real beneficiaries and are going into the wrong hands or there is a lapse in the distribution of the money,” a three-judge bench led by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan said. “There is no uniform policy.”

Asking states to file their responses to the law in four weeks,the bench said,“Jobs should generate money for the villages. The rule as per the project is simple,you do work and in lieu of the work done you get money. The real beneficiaries should get the money and not the wrong persons.”

The court pointed out to how fund under CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority) is being given to villages for their development. “There should be some real development at the ground level,” the Bench said while highlighting the purpose of MGNREGA for the success of which the CJI has taken keen interest in the last couple of years. “The CJI himself has taken keen interest in MGNREGA and taken initiatives in organising seminars on it. It’s his vision,” Justice Verma said.